HIGH COURT APPEAL ON PICKING UP
Page 47
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AN important case, which may have far-reaching effects upon passengertransport operators, is to be brought in the Divisional Court by the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner.
It may be recalled that, as reported in the issue of The Commercial Motor dated June 12, the Commissioner prosecuted Messrs. Winwoods Waterloo Belle MOtor Coaches, Lea Bridge Road, London, E.10, an a charge of having negligently " failed to comply v.ith the conditions of their licence regarding picking up passengers. The case was brought under Section 72 (4) (10) of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, and was dismissed.
Mr. Metcalfe, the magistrate at Old Street Police Court, accepted the con
tention of Messrs. Winwood that they had taken every possible precaution against the infringement of the condition regarding the picking .up Of passengers.
It is Understood that Mr. Metcalfe has now stated a case to the Divisional Court cm the application of the Metropolitan Commissioner. It is probable that Associated Road Operators will fight the case on behalf of Messrs. Winwood.
If the Divisional Court sustains the argument for the prosecution that it is sufficient to, prove that an employee was negligent and not necessaryto show that the master was guilty of an offence,. the road-passenger-transport industry will be placed in an even more difficult position than it occupies at
present.
BETTER TERMS FOR 'NATIONAL" MEN.
INCREASES of .wages for three-year Id rivers and substantial 'rises for cleaners, greasers and other members of the depot staffs are contained in an agreement which it was announced last Friday, had been signed between the Southern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., and Western National Omnibus Co.,
Ltd., and the employees' unions con cerned. • The agreement also provides for the setting up of local and area machinery to deal with matters concerning wages, hours, working conditions, etc. Six months' notice has to be given by either side for termination or alteration of the terms of the agreement, which operates from July 23.
EXCURSION OPERATORS DENIED TRAFFIC.
rEELING runs high in some qUarters .1 against the refusal of the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner to extend the period of operation of excursions' ana tours to Southend-on-Sea. Norrnally, of course, excursions and tours con, elude on September 30, but, in view pi the fact that Southend illuminations continue until about the middle of October, it is thought to be reasonable that the Commissioner should allow excursions to be run up to that date.
Particular force is lent to this contention by the congested conditions existing on the rail. It is stated that a return journey by rail from Southendon-Sea to London has occupied as much as six hours,
In, view of these conditions and of the bad summer which excursion and tour operators have experienced, it seems eminently reasonable that additional road services should be permitted to be worked to Southend.
50 MORE A.E.C. BUSES FOR SWANSEA.
A N order for 50 A.E.C. Regent oil-1-tengined doubie-deck.buses has been 'placedby the Swansea Improvements and Tramways Co. A.E.C. passenger vehicles have long been familiar in Swansea, where the South Wales Transport Co., Ltd.. in allied undertaking, already operates 93 single and doubledeckers of this make.
The new buses to be operated by the Swansea Improvements and Tramways Co. will replace trams, which have hitherto served the central and inner suburban parts of the town_
WAGES APPEALS: ONE SUCCEEDS
RESULTS have been announced of the decisions of the appeal tribuirat of the National Joint Industrial Council for the tramways industry,' in connection with the granting of higher wages to municipal-transport employees. Blackburn and Lancaster Corporations appealed against the recent award of the JointIndustrial Council, granting increases in wages. ' Blackburn's appeal has been rejeered. Groundsof appeal were that employees' wages were recently increased and that the corporation might, in the future, have to face the expenditure of 2160,000 on the conversion of the tramways to bus operation.
It was stated that, even if the changeover were left in abeyance for a few. years, the tramways would require to• be re-equipped at • a cost of over £59,000.
The employees held that, for the. past 10 Years, tramways profits had been used to relieve the-rates.
Lancaster Corporation's appeal has been allowed. A year ago the local authority increased wages in accordance with the decision of the Ministry of Labour's chief conciliation officer. The carrying out of the J.I.C. award. would have necessitated a further rise in wages. of an approximately similar amount. A condition of the upholding of the appeal is that certain minor adjustments in wages are to be made.
LATEST MUNICIPAL BUS RESULTS.
'THE following are the latest results 1 of municipal transport operation during the past year :
Glasgow. It is now possible to amplify the report published in the Mlle al The Commercial Motor dated June 22. The tramways earned a total revenue of X2.193,048, against which had to he set working expenses of 21,639,012. After charging losses on the bus and u..derground-railway sections of the undertaking„ and transferring 420,C00 to the COMMOlk-gflOd traCk, a surplus of 49,589 remained. lhis E :UTa compares with 261,437 in the year to May 31, 1935.
The tramways mileage increased from 35,678,350 in 1934-35 to 36,710,366 last year, the number of passengers carried (excludmg period-tleket holders). rising from 448,934,773 to 453,594,509.
The buses, of which there are 432, earned a total revenue of 4704.765, working expenses having amounted to 2655,401. Despite increased revenue and a larger number of passengers 173,086,779 in 1934-35 and 73,099.958 last year), the net deficit rose from .214,807 to £49,306.
The nndergrourd railways showed a net deficit of 450,746.
Rawtenstall. The buses cost altogether £50,161 to run, but earned a revenue of 482,452, the profit amounting to 4/6,263. This surplus compared with one 'of £15,933 in 1934-35.
The buses carried 11,4/3,840 passengers over 1,377,645 miles. The netrol buses averaged 5.47 m.p.g. of fuel and oilers 8.67 m.p.g. The corporation owns 40 vehicles.
Birkenhead. The general manager's report having been issued, it is possible now to amplify the statement in The Commercial Motor of July 10, The tramways earned a total income of 428,941 (13.851d. per vehicle-mile) and operating expeAses totalled 422,067 (10.5614. per vehicie-milel. The net surplus was .23,696. The comparable figures for 1934-35 are:--totat income 441,853 (13.85d. per vehicle
operating expenses £33,991 (11,209d.); and net surplus 44,148.
The motorbus account showed a total income of £264,727, against £243,712 in 1934-35. Operating expenses rose from 4172,733 to. 4199,943. The net surplus at £40,018 corn.,red with a profit of 434,716 a year earlier. Reduced to a per bus-mile basis, the total ip-t come was 12.6026., against 13,1986a year earlier, and operating expenses 9.042d. (9.3546.1.
The 139 buses covered 5,041,216 miles.